Tuesday is Equal Pay Day. This is the day in 2014 that marks how much longer women must work to earn what men earned in 2013. In spite of the landmark Equal Pay Act of 1963, the ratio of women’s to men’s median annual earnings remains stagnant at 77 cents to the dollar for full-time wage and salary earners. The gap is even greater for most women of color.

As a retired working woman, mother and grandmother, I am extremely concerned about pay inequity as it affects all women and their families. Lower salaries mean less money to reduce student loans, less money saved in a retirement plan, and a smaller Social Security check at age 65. As a member of the Easton Branch of the American Association of University Women, an organization that promotes equity for women and girls by working to break down those barriers to equity, I know we must act.

Take action now. Post about pay inequity on your Facebook page. Tweet or blog about it. Spread the word about the importance of pay equity and salary transparency in the workplace. Call your legislator and ask him or her to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Today, with so many women in the workforce, the need for wage equality has become a family issue.